Politics of Nigeria's Electoral Law

By EDDY OCHIGBO

The electoral process remains a key pillar of especially nascent democracies. This is more so because it is the only legitimate process that produces elected leaders across all levels of governance. The hallmark of democracy is in its transparency, fairness and credibility.

However, in Nigeria our electoral process has been characterized by both institutional and process rigging. Political parties and candidates have continued to take advantage of the nation's weak legal frameworks to rig elections. Even at the level of Tribunal, Appeal and Supreme courts, technicalities take advantage of lacunas to uphold rigged elections.

This cannot be unconnected with the poor quality of leaders the system is producing. Elections are no longer a popularity contest based on credibility, competence and sensitivity to the plight of the poor. It is now for the highest bidder with enough resources to subvert the process. Little wonder that election thuggery, snatching of ballot, ballot stuffing and violence are seemingly being endorsed by our lawmakers as is evident in their voting against electronic transmission of votes.

It is not surprising that each time the electoral act is subjected to amended, it stirs up intense politicking. In 2018, the National Assembly passed a new Electoral Act. The Bill passed was meant to guide the conduct of the 2019 General Elections. Some of the laudable amendments sought to check the cost of politics; prohibit political parties from imposing additional requirements for the nomination of candidates outside those contained under the 1999 Constitution; increase the amounts allowed for campaign expenses for all categories of aspirants; use of technological innovations among others.

However, the new Electoral Act fell victim of partisan political shenanigans, as the President refused to assent to it. The president, citing a number of concerns, vetoed the Electoral Act bill to the chagrin of the electorate and critical stakeholders. However, many civil society actors and opposition parties attributed this to the unwillingness of the president's party to change a flawed system that brought them to power. This should also be considered from the context that the then 8th Assembly, under the leadership of Senator Bukola Saraki, had a running battle with the presidency, a far cry from the current Ahmad Lawan-led Senate.

Again, the current amendment process of the Electoral Act also caught public attention and ended up being a partisan battle, between the All Progressive Congress (APC) and People's Democracy Party (PDP), to take the advantage off the opponent. The contention being the Committee report, which recommended in Section 52(3) that, INEC “may transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable.”

Senator Sabi Abdullahi proposed for an amendment to the clause, which was that the commission may consider electronic collation of results provided the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secured by the NCC. While, Senator Bassey Akpan, held the same recommendation as the INEC Committee that presented the report, which had indicated that INEC may transmit results of elections by electronic means where and when practicable and at its discretion.

This sharply divided both chambers of the National Assembly along partisan lines, as the APC legislators voted against the amendment, while those from the PDP voted in its favor. Dramatically, after the voice vote, which was ruled in favor of the Nays, the Minority Leader in the Senate challenged the ruling by the President of the Senate calling for order 73 which means division.

This was a fast one played by the Minority Leader to expose the identity of those opposed to electronic transmission. In the end, 52 Senators voted for Abdullahi’s amendment while 28 voted for Akpan’s amendment and 28 were absent, making a total number of 80 votes out of 109 Senators. Many of those that rejected the amendment have been heavily criticized by the court of public opinion.

One only wonders why our politicians cannot look beyond partisanship and work collectively to improve the quality of the electoral system. As 2023 elections draw near, mischievous politicians are working hard to manipulate the process and rig themselves to power. This is totally unacceptable.

Comments

'Terrorists are all over, not only Southern Kaduna'

-Governor Nasir el-Rufai el-Rufai addressing Journalists in Hausa after a security meeting on Southern Kaduna By DANGWA DANJUMA G overnor Ahmed Nasir el-Rufai has admitted that terrorists are everywhere in Kaduna state, not only in the troubled Southern Kaduna, disclosing that miscreants have taken to the social media space to promote what he called disturbing and further aggravating the worsening situation situation with religious and ethnic colouration. Speaking to newsmen in Hausa, after a meeting with security officials, el-Rufai said that miscreants from Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and outside Nigeria are trying to insinuate that the Southern Kaduna killings is ethnic and religious even going as far as asking people to take the law into their hands. While maintaining that these people would be brought to book, he tasked traditional leaders, religious leaders and political office holders in the state to speak the truth about the happenings as failing to do so wo...

NEWS FEATURE: Governor el-Rufai and the Sanctity of the Ballot

el-Rufai: Voting at his polling unit BY NASIRU JAGABA F irst of all, let me start by congratulating the Citizens of Kaduna State, for violence free election in the local government polls. The peaceful conduct of the citizens in Kaduna despite the happenings that had shown clearly the desperation of persons in the corridor of power to manipulate, overturn the result refused to give in to the chaos but rather responded with all sense of maturity and confidence in the sanctity of the ballot. Had Kaduna responded in similar desperation as shown by the institutional riggers, perhaps curfew would have been slammed in several areas which would have created the perfect cover for the malpractices to happen. The hate speeches and incitement from the top government officials in Kaduna state government did not end on the platforms for the campaigns alone but went further to reflect in the exercise that held. There are several accounts going round about thugs accompanyin...

Community Participation in Governance: Kaduna APGA Councilor breaks new grounds

A cross-section of constituents of Sabon Tasha ward, listening with rapt attention to resource persons at the event S trengthening community and rural participation in governance has been identified as the right step towards providing the much needed social infrastructure at the local government level in Kaduna state. This is the standpoint of Hon. Kogi James Ganaka, currently holding sway as the Councilor of Sabon Tasha, one of biggest wards in Kaduna state. Ganaka, who came into light during the last local government elections in the state, when he decamped from the Peoples' Democratic Party(PDP) to the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA), to clinch the seat, following the advice of his teeming supporters, is very passionate about improving the lot of his people. Remarked one of his constituents: "We are very proud of him. He is the only councilor that I know who has established a constituency office in the entire jurisdiction. He is determined to provide div...

Making a case for Kaduna's Agric sector

By Yusuf Goje I t will be most appropriate to start by commending the Kaduna State House of Assembly for breaking the jinx of holding a legislative public hearing for the first on the 2020 draft budget. This provided citizens and civil society partners the avenue to make submissions on the various sectors of interest towards improved public service delivery and value for money. The Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment & Development (CALPED), a civil society working on governance reforms, submitted a memo and made a presentation making a case for increased funding for the agricultural sector and use of technology to collect data for effective planning, among other critical issues. Our presentation aligned with the words of Akinwumi Adesina, the erudite and charismatic President of the African Development Bank, who rightly posited that, “making agriculture profitable and ‘cool’ for young people in Africa is key to lifting millions out of pove...

Why Late arrival of Officials and Materials may mar Kaduna LG Elections

Dr Saratu Binta Dikko-Audu: Chairperson Kaduna Electoral Commission A s at 11:35am voting in today's Kaduna L.G polls had not commenced in the city centre, as electoral officials and materials were still making their way to polling units in an election that was slated to commence at 8:00am. At a polling unit, a party agent told Cubinks that the officials have not arrived but have information that they are on their way. Voters were seen around the polling area expressing dissatisfaction with the way things were going. "We hope that the lateness of the officials is not a ploy to disenfranchise voters because we are all determined to vote the candidate of our choice today", said one of the voters. It will be recalled in our coverage of the build up yesterday, we gathered that there are indications that many people will be disenfranchised. The absence of the voter list that ought to be displayed at the polling areas early enough for voters to iden...

Cubinks NEWS

Search This Blog